Film rated PG by the MPA

Following the success of Coraline, Laika Studios released Paranorman on August 17th, 2012. Paranorman follows Norman Babcock, a young boy that can see ghosts, who must read a witch a bedtime story in order to keep his small town from being terrorised by the undead. Paranorman often finds itself categorised with other Halloween films, but I have always found it to be more than that. I often go on tangents to my friends about how sad it makes me that Paranorman lost the Oscar for Best Animated Feature to Disney Pixar’s Brave. I say it’s time to take a look back at Paranorman and give it the love and recognition it deserves.

Using handcrafted puppets and 3D printing, Paranorman looks and feels like it was made with an extensive amount of care and precision. While quality writing is critical, appearance is an undeniable tool in establishing character. There’s such a uniqueness to the way each character is crafted. The animators play with bodily proportions in a way that is physically impossible with a real human being, further exemplifying the creative possibilities born from an animated film. This aspect of puppet making actually proved to be a challenge, as the puppets needed to be able to work, even with their extreme proportions. In order to make something as simple as a character’s hair, the crew is using different fibers in various colors, and then glueing hundreds of strands onto the head of the character. As the 3D CGI style animation (especially within Disney) has garnered some criticism for its design limitations, it is refreshing to look back on a film that used such a unique animation style.

As an aspiring writer, most of my compliments for this movie are born from the character’s dialogue. The film’s writer, Chris Butler, does an excellent job developing a wide array of characters to play with. As the story unfolds, our main ensemble evolves to include Norman (the outcast), Courtney (the popular girl), Neil (the best friend), Alvin (the school bully), and Mitch (the jock). The dynamics between these characters are quickly established and believably developed over the hour and a half runtime.

Norman’s friend, Neil, comes with a loyal and playful attitude, at times used as comedic relief, and others as true sincerity. I always come back to one exchange between Norman and Neil that truly exemplifies the innocence of the young children that they are. Norman says, “I keep telling you, Neil. I like to be alone”, to which Neil immediately replies, “So do I. Let’s do it together!” These words bear a simple vulnerability and comfort, making it a recurring tear-jerker.

Kendrick stands out in her role as Norman’s older sister, Courtney (incidentally, her first major voice acting role). Kendrick’s tone brings the dialogue in full force of a classic popular girl stereotype. From a lazy ease when gossiping on the phone with a friend, to a playful flirtation when meeting Mitch, Neil’s hot jock of an older brother, Kendrick’s tonal range is evident and captivating.

This film is popular for a number of technical reasons, but it should stay well-renowned for the way the characters exude heart and realness, making this supernatural tale feel close to home.

Published 9th March, 2026